Ford's F-Series pickups are not just America’s best-selling trucks—they are America's best-selling vehicle, and have been for decades.

Every year, in the US alone, the automaker sells more than 800,000 F-150s (the smallest of the family), and they're a major profit driver. When Ford's new CEO announced major budget cuts last year, he also added extra investment into electric vehicles and pickups.

All of which is to say, the F-Series is vital to Ford, and it's not the kind of thing you mess with lightly. But the company knows things are changing. Batteries and motors instead of large V-8s could give designers new freedoms like multiple axles and minimal hoods. Self-driving tech could free people from car ownership, letting them summon their required vehicle when necessary. Humanity's relationship with the automobile is evolving, and so the automobile must evolve as well.

User Comments

This has been mentioned before, but it is odd that hybrid electric technologies have been used in small and midsize cars vs these large pick up truck which could use the help in being more efficient. Far more than the midsize and small size cars which are already doing ok.

At least some of the "efficiency" of the EVs on the market are due to aerodynamics as well as small size. Add in low-rolling resistance tires - and these things could be done on ICE cars as well. Such things are not easily adaptable to trucks - that also have the need to be able to handle heavy loads.

GM and Chrysler had a Hybrid system at one time for trucks - but it failed to offer enough extra efficiency to overcome the added costs. And that is the problem as vehicle get larger and heavier with Hybrid technology.

it would be interesting to see how an updated 2-Mode hybrid transmission would perform in today's small & midsize SUVs. We have much better battery & motor tech today. And depending on how the model needs to perform (eco, sport) would depend on the engine size. A Ford gas-electric hybrid with a 2.7L or 3.5L EB-V6 would be a beast on the streets & highways. Do they already have something with this configuration.

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